Ever heard of Patterns & Practices and Application blocks?

If the answer is no...you've been missing out!

Check out the following link to the Microsoft Enterprise Library:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/practices/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnpag2/html/entlib.asp

So in short a Pattern is a ready made solution to a problem. This can be anything from how do I move large amounts of data about efficiently, to how do I encrypt something securely on my machine.

Application blocks, are jumpstart code, which encompass some of the more popular patterns.

So for example the Enterprise Library Block gives you out of the box source code covering the following areas:

Caching - Allows developers to incorporate a local cache in their applications
Configuration - Enables applications to read and write configuration information
Data Access  - Provides standard database functionality 
Cryptography - Encryption and hashing functionality
Exception Handling - Enables creation of a consistent strategy for processing exceptions that occur throughout the architectural layers of enterprise applications
Logging and Instrumentation - Incorporates standard logging and instrumentation functionality in their applications
Security - Incorporate security functionality, such as authenticating and authorizing users against a database, retrieving role and profile information, and caching user profile information

Go check it out...you wont be disappointed!!